


Another Try

by CupofJo



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Grandmothers, Mother-Son Relationship, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:16:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26717359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CupofJo/pseuds/CupofJo
Summary: Space Kid, or AJ, reunites with his mother, who always seemed too busy for him and his family. She finds out that he had a son, and she wants to try and reconnect and become a part of their lives.
Relationships: Max/Space Kid | Neil Armstrong Jr.
Kudos: 5





	Another Try

**Author's Note:**

> AJ = Space Kid- Armstrong Jr.

"You have a child, and you didnt tell me?" Avery stared at her son, who was holding his son, in his home that he started with a man that Avery barely knew. 

"I didnt know that you expected me to?" AJ raised a brow. "I mean, I thought you weren't interested in my family."

Avery paused, feeling a crushing weight settle in her chest. "When did I tell you that?"

AJ seemed to pause, and whistle, as if he had a lot to say- and not many nice ways he wanted to say it. He made eye contact with anything but his mother, opting to look at his son instead.

"You barely made it to my wedding, you took calls instead of talking to me there, you didn't make it to my highschool graduation, only one of my football games in the entire four years I went to Willowthorn, you sent me away to so many different summer camps and schools that would keep me as long as possible- Mama, I know you did your best, but you weren't ever there for me. I love you, and I'm really not always good at picking up hints, but I understand that much."

"Youre becoming an astronaut, dear. You went to space already, and I was there to say goodbye. Youve accomplished so much, and I'm so proud of you- do you not think being an astronaut will make you busy? Too busy to helicopter parent the way you expect to?"

"If I lose my job as an astronaut to be a dad, then thats a risk I'm okay with taking, I can find a better job if it doesn't work out. This is a dumb thing to talk about, its pretty obvious that I love this kid more than my job." AJ tried not to raise his voice, not that it would matter much, his little three month old was the heaviest sleeper in the world. 

Avery felt herself grow angry, but she tried to tone it back for the same reason that her son was. She had self control, and so she took her moment to breathe. 

Step back and into her son's shoes, she understood that she wasnt the best mother she could have been. "I really did do my best, you know."  
"Like i said, yeah, I do know."  
"So did your father, but I know you didn't want him here."

Avery noticed the way he seemed to gain a more protective stance over the little blonde child he held. 

"We don't have to talk about him now. I didnt come here to fight with you, I came here to catch up with you." Avery tried her best to relax every tense muscle, but stayed pretty tense regardless. "You have a son. May i hold him?"

"No, no." AJ, still holding the boy, seemed to jump a little, rocking his feet onto his tiptoes, still holding on tight. He whistled for a second, acting on the impulse switches in his mind, making him feel a bit more at ease. 

"Why not?"  
"I don't want you touching him yet. Why- why did you want to come and catch up with me exactly?" He whistled again, still trying to calm down. It wasnt exactly doing him as much good as he would have liked.   
"Because I care about you, more than you think i do, evidently." Avery sighed. "Is Max at work?"

AJ wasnt a vengeful person, he had to remind himself of that sometimes. "Yeah, he works as a lawyer, that takes a lot of his time, mom. I thought you'd like it more that way."  
"That's... considerate." The honest truth, Avery couldn't deny. From all the woman had seen, Max was rude, and full to the brim with determination, and leadership. Not too different from Avery herself, really. 

There was a beat of silence. "Come on, we can go sit on the floor so you can at least see him better." He lead the way and Avery followed, spotting a small family picture consisting of Max, AJ, and their little baby, all dressed up somewhat formal, the little boy looking especially formal.

Avery smiled a little, it reminded her of when Robert and herself were younger, holding the baby who would one day fulfill the legacy of the great Neil Armstrong- a legacy she would be sure he'd be proud of. 

Would this baby be proud of his father, like she was proud of her grandfather? She wondered. 

"Neil," Avery caught his attention, and he, who was still fully intending on walking along further, slowly turned to face her. "Uh, you never mentioned what your boy's name is."

"Neil Armstrong, Mama. Number three." AJ couldn't help but crack a small smile, it wasn't warm, nor laced with mal intent, it was just a tired smile full of hidden emotion beyond comprehension. 

She followed him, unsure of what to respond with. Pride? Hurt that her legacy had been carried without word? 

When they settled on an off white carpet, he let her see the small face of his child, it was so strikingly similar to Avery. While he had many similarities to his father, the way his lips hung just slightly parted, naturally, as if they couldn't close more unless totally forced, the way his hair curled in such soft waves that were all imperfect and indefined, his curious hands, roaming his own face and trying to learn everything he possibly could about it even in his sleep... that came entirely from Avery Armstrong, she was sure of it. 

"Hi there," she smiled, and despite his earlier distrust, AJ moved to hand the small boy to her. 

A feeling, stronger than any conflict she might have had with her own son, settled down, tucked to a deep fold in her psyche. A new life was in her arms, and she supposed a grandmotherly instinct guided her to hold the child in just the right way so that he seemed to curl up in his blankets that swaddled him, deepening his slumber.

What an odd baby, odd to be so peaceful. 

"Neil Alden Armstrong lll, hmm? Couldnt wait for your grandkids to do it, to make a pattern?"  
"No, he was too right for the name." AJ's voice wasn't comfortable per se, but it was softening and adapting.  
"I suppose you're right. My mother and father always said that the Neils have always should have a common trait with the first... he has the same nose. Like you do. He doesn't have the same hair like you, though."

"I dont think he'll stay blonde."  
"Who was his mother?"  
"My friend, she was willing to do a surrogacy for us."  
"Did her genetics come into play?"  
"Yeah, his hair might be green-blue."  
"Green-blue?" Avery seemed shocked.   
"Yeah, is that a problem?"  
"No. Just very... zany."

AJ moved to take his son back from her arms, which seemed to cause the ever-sleeping baby to stir, and whine. 

"Shh, sh," 

The whines slowly settled into soft cries, not loud. Soft and full of want, but not so much that they were the vengeful cries of an angered toddler. 

"Are you hungry, baby? I guess it is about time for you to eat, come on..." AJ slowly stood, and carried the baby to the kitchen to warm a bottle of formula milk. 

"You guys use formula?"  
"I dont have boobs, mom. Max doesnt either."  
"I was only trying to strike up conversation- should I hold him while you make the formula?"  
"No, I can do it."  
"It seems like its awful distracting having a baby sobbing on your shoulder while you're trying to feed him. I know I wish somebody would've helped me with that."  
"I'm sorry you didn't have that." AJ apologized, seemingly pretty calmly- devoid of clear intent. 

Avery didnt reply. AJ didnt say more either, which left only drowsy wails and the whir of the microwave when AJ placed the prepared bottle in to warm it just enough. 

While it was heating, AJ positioned the baby in his arms so that he could be easy to feed, and pulled the bottle out. Avery watched how he had habits that made feeding his son such a doable task. 

She watched the way her grandson began to eat while in her son's hold, the small child seemed so at peace just being. No knowledge of anything but the faux milk entering his body, and the warmth that was brought upon him by the blankets, and the hold of his dads.

Avery was beyond certain that Neil Armstrong Jr. would be a much better father than she ever was a mother. If they shared the same hair, they didnt share the same gaze, not even Avery's husband held the kindness in his eyes that her son did. A broken heart can be mended, but a small one is much more difficult to fix. Avery knew she owned the smallest of small, grinchy heart. But like that old green hag, she felt as though it grew. 

She couldnt change the mother she'd been, and there was a lot to be discussed between herself and her son, but she supposed that could wait. 

"Hey, little space cadet?" 

AJ paused, softly his shoulders seemed to relax, unhooking from their tense position and making it much easier for him to feed the third Neil Armstrong.   
"Yes, mama?"

"Do you think I could come and visit your children as they come, rather than waiting till they're so big to see them for the first ever time? Could... well..." Avery sighed. "Neil, I want to be a part of your life, and your family again. I'll learn to care for that husband of yours, and for who you are, because you were part of me. Would you let me?" 

AJ smiled- it was warm now, the same warm it was when Avery watched him win a football game with his team- the only time she ever stayed through one. Same warm it was when he admitted he had a boyfriend- albeit that smile had been somewhat nervous. Same warm it was when AJ went to space for the first ever time, and he told Avery he'd miss her. 

Her son had a son. She had a grandson, and she had no idea, until about an hour ago. Still, the light and opportunity he'd brought into her life was too good to pass up. 

She had another try.


End file.
